Book-rest and easel



(No Model.)

J. DUUKER. BOOK BEST AND EASEL.

No. 411,493. Patented Sept. 24, 1889.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN DUOKER, OF SANTA ROSA, CALIFORNIA.

BOOK-REST AND EASEI...

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 411,493, dated September 24, 1889. Application filed February 23, 1889. Serial No. 300,922. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

which I call a book rest or support and easel.

It consists of a vertically-adjustable shank or standard with a fixed holding-socket, a swivel-arm projecting from said standard and having a second arm adjustable upon it, an adj ust-able support suspended from the outer end of this arm, and in connection therewith a device whereby a book may be held open to any degree and the leaves easily held in place when turned. lVith this I employ a supporting-easel by which the whole device may be secondarily supported from the floor and made more rigid when desired.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanation of my invention, Figure 1 is a View of my improved book-rest and easel. Fig. 2 is a detail of the disk Q, and Fig. 3 is a detail showing the disk and the arms N and adjunctive parts.

A is a socket or holder of any suitable construction, having a clamping-screw B, by which it may be secured to the shelf or table or any convenient projection about the room; or if none such are available it may be attached to the wall or some piece-of furniture by means of screws passing through the extensions 0. ithin the socket A a shank or standard D is fitted to slide vertically, and is held at any desirable place by means of a thumb-screw E.

Upon the top of the standard D is a swivelhead F, which has a slotted arm G extending outward horizontally from it. This head and arm may be turned upon the standard in a horizontal plane, and when at any desired point they maybe locked and held by a thumbscrew H. A second slotted arm I, having the inner end bent at right angles with the main portion, as shown at I, is fitted to slide upon a pin J, which projects at right angles from the end of the arm G. The angular portion I of this second arm, which is also slotted, fits over a bolt, and is locked at any desired point by means of a thumb-nut K. From the V shape of the arm I I it will be seen that as it is moved toward the standard D it will be brought into a position more nearly horizontal, and it will be manifest that it may be made entirely horizontal and in line with the arm G by moving the slotted portion I about the screw-bolt at-K until it is in line with G, thus raising the outer end. If it is desired to depress the outer end of the arm I, it is done by sliding the arm along the pin J and at the same time raising the inner end by sliding the portion I upon the pin at K until the pin K is made to approach nearly to the pin J, when the arm I will stand in a po-. sition nearly or quite vertical, if desired, or at any intermediate angle between vertical and horizontal, according to the relative position at which it is fixed upon the arm G.

Through the upper end of the slotted arm I passes a bolt provided with a thumb-nut L, and this bolt has an eye or socket upon the opposite side, through which the rod'M passes, this rod being capable of vertical adjustment by sliding through the socket, and by turning the socket-bolt the angle at which the rod M stands with relation to the arm I may be regulated, as desired. Atthe lower end of the arm M are two transverse bars N, which overlap each other where they fit over the lower end of the rod M, and by this hinged joint they may be opened or closed about the rod, so as to stand at any desired angle with each other, and they are locked in that posit-ion by means of alocking-nut O,Which screws onto the lower end of the bar M and binds them immovably. This angle will be such as it maybe desired to have the sides of the book maintain.

The book P is supported upon a disk Q, which is also secured to the lower end of the rod M and just above the arms N. The central portion of the book is held in place by means of a small rod R, the upper end of which has a hook,which engages with notches upon the arm S, this arm being fixed to the rod M, as shown. The lower end of the rod R passes through a hole in the plate Q. The rod M passes through any one of a series of radial holes extending from the center toward the outside of the disk, and the upper end will be hooked into a corresponding notch in the arm S. This enables me to place the rod R close into the middle of the book and adjust it to whatever thickness of book may be at the time upon the support.

In order to hold the book open, retain the leaves in place, and allow them to be easily turned, as desired, I have shown the elastic arms T, the lower ends of which are fixed upon slides U, which may be moved out or in upon the arms N to adjust the elastic arms F to any Width or size of book. The ends of the arms T have small knobs of rubber V fixed upon them, and the edges of the book are clasped between the knobs of the two armsT on each side, the rear arm supporting the back or cover of the book, while the front arm presses upon the leaves and holds them in place, the opposite side being held in like manner. By this means the book is opened to any desired extent, the ad justment of the arms N regulating the amount of opening and the elastic arms T holding the book and the edges of the leaves, while allowing the latter to be turned easily when desired.

It will be seen that all the necessary adjustments may be had by means of the rods G, I, and M,so as to hold the book wherever it may be most convenient.

\Vhen it is desired to employ this device as an easel or stand upon which drawing, painting, or marking of any kind is to take place, I employ a supplemental support having the adjustable legs IV. These legs are fitted into a triangular socket-frame X, Within which they are adjusted so as to stand at any desired angle or height, and a rod Y from this arm extends upward, and is connected with the rod M at some point behind, where it is attached thereto by means of a screw or jointed support Z. The angle at which the legs WV extend with relation to the rod M causes them to act as a brace therefor and to steady it and. to prevent the vibration which would occur in the long arms G, I, and M without this brace, the lower ends of the legs IV resting upon the floor, as shown. By this construction I form a very convenient book rest or support and easel, which may be adjusted with very little trouble to any height or angle desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A book-holder consisting of the slotted arm G and the L-shaped slotted arm I, with the uniting-pins and locking-nuts, in combination with the book-support upon the outer end of said arms and adjustable thereon, substantially as described.

2. The slotted arm G and the L-shaped slotted arm I, adjustable with relation to the arm G, and the adjustable support M, attached to the outer end of the arm I, in combination with a vertically-adj ustable rod D, and a socket through which said rod moves, and by which it may be attached to the wall or other support, substantially as described.

3. The adjustable slotted arms GI, the booksupport consisting of the rod M, adjustable with relation to the outer arm, the jointed rods N on the lower end of the rod M, with the loekin g or holding nut, the rod R, by which the center of the book is held,and the elastic arms T, adjustably fitted on the rod N, for holding the sides of the book, substantially as described.

4. The book-holder consisting of the adj ustable rod M, with the support Q at the lower end, the hinged adjustable arms N on the lower end of said rod M, the elastic arms T, carried by the arms N, and by which the sides of the book are held, said arms being adjustable upon the arms N, and the central rod R, adjustable to the thickness of the book,substantially as described.

5. The book-support consisting of the slotted adjustable arms G and I, the adjustable standard D, rod M, and book-holding device, in combinationwith the adjustable legs adapted to rest upon the floor and the socket-frame X, connected to the rod M, so as to act as a brace, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

W. SANBORN, F. B. GLYNN. 

